Fly escape structure



June 2, 1936. E. c. KLAIBER 2,043,043

FLY ESCAPE STRUCTURE v Filed Nov. 25, 1955 10 I0 WM r A L ,1 1/

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INVENTOH EDWARD C. HLAIBER T ORNEYS Patented June 2, 1936 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE FLY ESCAPE STRUCTURE Application November 25, 1935, SerialNo. 51,414

15 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in fly escapes for screenedframes, such as doors and windows, and has, among its objects, toprovide a simple structure adapted to obtain a maximum; efficiency forfly escape, with a minimum liability of entry of rain into the flyescape passages, and which can be manufactured at very small cost.

Features of the invention include: the use of curved-surfaced. notchesgenerated on an axis perpendicular to the outer or inner surface of theframe; the use of conical surfaced notches; the use of curved surfacednotches intersecting two adjacent surfaces of one of the frame elementsof the door; the formation of these surfaces and notches by a rotatingtool, thus making for cheapness; the positioning of the surfaces to bedivergent toward the outer face of the rail; the use of curvedreflecting surfaces which are arched laterally with respect to thevertical side pieces of the frame, to give a maximum area of reflectingsurface; the provision of an upwardly arched surface which makes anangle of substantially thirty degrees or less with the horizontal whenthe frame is in use; the use of a groove intersecting the notches andcurved surfaces of each as means into which a folded part of the screenis thrust; the use of a screen-retaining strip in bridging relation to anotch with its top surface related to the curved surface as a chord; andgenerally all details of construction, along with the broader ideas ofmeans inherent in the disclosure.

Objects, features and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description of the drawing forming a part of this application, andin said drawing Figure 1 is an outer face view of a screen door showingthe invention applied;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view like Figure 1 but showing onlythe upper part of the door;

Figure 3 is a detail vertical section through the top rail and escapepassage, taken on line 33 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a detail vertical section through the top rail and laterallyof the passage, taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

In the drawing, numeral I generally indicates a screened frame, in thisinstance a door. Numerals 2 designate the side rails and numerals 5, 6and I respectively designate the top middle and bottom rails. The screenis indicated at 9.

The invention has been shown applied to a door and to the top railthereof, but it is, of course, understood that it may be applied atother levels. In this case, the upper rail is provided with four conicalsurfaced notches intersecting the outer and lower sides of the rail,each conical surface l0 forming an arch whose base intersects the bottomsurface ll of the rail 5. Each conical surface is divergent toward theouter face l2 of the frame and the notches form with the screen, fiyescape passages leading from the inner surface l3 of the screen over thetop of the screen. A single notch may of course be used, but a pluralityof such notches are preferable.

Referring to Figures 2, 3 and 4, the inner margin of the rail isrecessed as at M to receive retaining strip IS, the outer surface ofwhich lies flush with the outer surface 12 of the frame. EX- tendinghorizontally inwardly from the bottom I! of the recess I4, is a grooveextending the full longitudinal length of the rail and intersecting theconical surfaces of the notches as at 2!, see Figure 2. It is noted, ofcourse, that the recess l4 also intersects the conical surface of eachrecess at two points.

The screening laterally of and between the notches is folded upon itself(see Figure 4) as at 25 and is thrust into the groove as shown. Thescreen has plain unfolded portions (see Figure 3) indicated at 26, eachof which lies against the inner face 21 of the retaining strip I6, whichstrip forms a backing. The screen and strip I6 and the notch togetherform the escape passage. The upper edge of the plain flattened portionof the screen, at this point, is substantially flush with the upper edgeof the strip Hi. The screen retaining strip overlies and is opposed tothe groove and bridges the notches to complete the fly escape passages.This strip I6 is related to conical surfaces of each notch as a chord,in such manner that only a relatively small vertical height is given tothe escape exits. -The area of each opening, as viewed from the front(see Figures 1 and 2) is sufficient for exit, and for entry of light,but not large enough to facilitate entry of rain, nor prominent enoughto invite entry of insects. This is important, and is obtainable by theuse of the laterally extending curved surface, arching slightly abovethe upper side of the strip IS.

A feature of this invention is the character of the notches whichpermits formation by a rotating tool with the axis of rotation of thetool perpendicular to the outer face of the rail, and the use of aconical surface of a particular angle. As shown in Figure 3, the anglewhich the conical surface makes with the horizontal when the screen isin use is about thirty degrees or less, the horizontal line beingindicated at 28 and the angle being generally indicated at 29. This isimportant as a means for reducing liability of entry of rain.

The bottom 30 of the notch is flat and in this instance is parallel withthe outer surface l2 and the inner surface 32 of the rail. In Figure 3,the folded portion of the screen is indicated at a plane beyond theplane of the section, and it will be noted that the screen 9 iscontinuous across the surface 21 of strip I6, and that it extends to thetop of the strip, and it will be further noted that the raw edge of thescreen is exposed as at 32 at the top. This is also shown in Figure 2.

The upper margin of that portion of the screen which lies on the surface21 contacts the surface 21, but although not shown in the drawing, thescreen has a tendency to bow slightly outwardly at a point a shortdistance downwardly from the top of the screen. This is due to thefolding of the screen and the thrusting of it into the grooves and theseoperations also cause the upper edge 32 to be slightly bowed upwardly asshown in Figure 2. It is noted that the raw edge of the screen isexposed at the openings. The slight bowing of the screen away from thesurface 21 does not interfere with the reflection of light from thelaterally extending arcuate surfaces, but acts to slightly narrow thevertical part of the escape opening, thus lessening the liability ofentry of insects from the inside downwardly through this escape openingor passage.

The angular arrangement of the curved surface lll relative to thehorizontal is an important feature. It is again to be noted that theareas of the openings, as viewed from the outside as in Figure 2, forexample, are relatively small. At the same time, sufficient light isreflected from a relatively large curved surface downwardly, so thatilluminated spots appear along the whole rail and the use of a laterallycurved surface substantially proportionately increases the lightingeffect,

as viewed by a fly at the inside of a screen. These transversely curvedor arched surfaces are, as used herein, much more effective as lightreflectors than any flat surface, or than any curved surface generatedfrom an axis which is parallel to the long dimension of the rail. Theinvention is not necessarily entirely limited to the conical shape,although that is the most practical shape and it is also claimed becauseit has relation to very cheap and efficient manufacture, by means of arotating tool, and is the most eflicient reflecting surface. I am awarethat curved surfaces have been used but such curved surfaces have neverbeen generated on an axis which is perpendicular to the front face ofthe rail, and the arc has not extended laterally, that is in a directionfrom side rail to side rail of the frame, nor has anyone, insofar as Iam aware, used a conical outwardly flared surface, for any of thepurposes herein. I am also aware that many attempts have been made tomake a practicable, cheap fly escape structure, but of those known tome, the structures are too costly, or too complicated, or interfere withstacking of the frames, or permit entry of rain or insects from theoutside, or are inefficient because they do not provide a maximum ofreflecting surface with a minimum area of the exit opening, where itintersects the outer surface of the frame.

I claim as my invention:

1. A fly escape structure comprising a screened frame having, in theouter side of one of its rails which is disposed horizontally when inuse, an

upwardly outwardly leading fly escape passage having an upwardlylaterally arched curved surface the opposite ends of which intersect thebottom of the rail, said surface thereby being disposed so as to bevisible to an insect crawling upwardly on the inside of the screen, saidsurface intersecting the outer surface of the rail, and being angularlydisposed so as to be impinged by light from an outside source, and toreflect that light downwardly at the inner side of the screen.

2. A fly escape structure comprising a screened frame having, in theouter side of one of its rails which is disposed horizontally when inuse, an upwardly outwardly leading fly escape passage having an upwardlylaterally arched curved surface the opposite ends of which intersect thebottom of the rail, thusproviding a surface of maximum area, the saidsurface thereby being disposed so as to be visible to an insect crawlingupwardly on the inside of the screen, said surface being divergentoutwardly to intersect the outer surface of the rail, and thus beingadapted to be impinged by light from an outside source, and to reflectthat light downwardly at the inner side of the screen.

3. A fly escape structure comprising a screened frame having, in outerside of one of its rails which is disposed horizontally when in use, an

' upwardly outwardlyleading fly escape passage having an upwardlylaterally arched curved surface the opposite ends of which intersect thebottom of the rail, thus providing a surface of maximum area, the saidsurface thereby being disposed so as to be visible to an insect crawlingupwardly on the inside of the screen, said surface intersecting theouter surface of the rail and diverging outwardly and lying at an anglewith the horizontal of substantially thirty degrees or less.

4. A fly escape structure comprising, a screened frame having a rotatingtool-formed curvedsurfaced notch intersecting the outer and lower sidesof one of its rails, said surface forming an arch whose base intersectsthe bottom surface of the rail, the axis of generation of the curvedsurface being substantially perpendicular to the outer face of the rail,and a screen retaining strip opposed to and spaced outwardly from thebottom of and bridging said notch and having its top surface related tosaid curved surface as a chord.

5. A fly escape structure comprising, a screened frame having arotating-tool-formed conicalsurfaced notch intersecting the outer andlower sides of one of its rails, the conical surface forming an archwhose base intersects the bottom surface of the rail, and with theconical surface divergent toward the outer face of the rail, the axis ofgeneration of the conical surface being substantially perpendicular tothe outer face of the frame, and a screen retaining strip opposed to andspaced outwardly from the bottom of and bridging said notch and havingits top surface related to said conical surface as a chord.

6. A fly escape structure comprising a screened frame having aconical-surfaced notch intersecting the outer and lower sides of one ofits rails, said surface forming an arch whose base intersects the bottomsurface of the rail, the conical surface being divergent toward theouter face of the rail, a screen retaining strip opposed to, spacedoutwardly from the bottom of and bridging said notch, and having its topsurface related to Said conical Surface as a chord.

W in) 7. A fly escape structure comprising a screened frame having aconical surfaced notch and a screen retaining strip bridging said notchand forming therewith and with the screen a fly escape passage, theconical surface diverging toward and intersecting the outer surface ofthe frame.

8. A fly escape structure comprising a screened frame having aconical-surfaced notch forming an arch whose base intersects the bottomsurface of a rail of the frame and with the conical surface divergenttoward and intersecting the outer face of the rail, said notch formingwith the screen a fly escape passage, and a screen retaining stripbridging said notch and having its top surface related to said conicalsurface as a chord.

9. A fly escape structure comprising a screened frame having conicalsurfaced notches intersecting the outer and lower sides of the top rail,each conical surface forming an arch whose base intersects the bottomsurface of the rail and with each conical surface divergent toward theouter face of the rail, said notches forming with the screen fly escapepassages, and a screen retaining strip bridging said notches and havingits top related to said conical surfaces as chords.

10. A fly escape structure including, a screened frame having, in theouter side of one of its rails which is disposed horizontally when inuse, an upwardly outwardly leading fly escape passage having an upwardlylaterally arched curved surface the opposite ends of which intersect thebottom of the rail, the said surface thereby being disposed so as to bevisible to an insect crawling upwardly on the inside of the screen, saidsurface intersecting the outer face of the rail, and being angularlydisposed so as to be impinged by light from an outside source, and so asto reflect that light downwardly at the inner side of the screen, saidstructure providing a groove which intersects said curved surface at twopoints, and into which a folded part of the screen is inserted.

11. A fly escape structure comprising, a screened frame having acurved-surfaced notch in a rail thereof forming an arch whose baseintersects the bottom surface of said rail and with the curved surfaceintersecting the outer face of the rail, and a screen retaining stripbridging said notch and having its top surface intersecting the curvedsurface of the notch as a chord, the axis of generation of the curvedsurface being substantially perpendicular to the outer face of thestructure, whereby the surface is arched laterally toward the verticalside elements of the frame.

12. A fly escape structure comprising, a screened frame having outwardlyflared conical-surfaced fly escape notches in one of the rails thereof,each conical'surface intersecting the outer and lower sides of the railand defining with the screen a fly escape passage leading over the topof the screen, grooves in the outer face of the rail,

intersecting the conical sides of the notches, those portions of thescreen lying laterally of and between the openings being folded uponthemselves and being thrust into the groove.

13. A fly escape structure comprising, a screened frame having outwardlyflared conical-surfaced fly escape notches in one of the rails, eachconical surface intersecting the outer and lower sides of the rail anddefining with the screen a fly escape passage leading over the top ofthe screen, grooves in the outer face of the rail intersecting theconical sides of the notches, those portions of the screen lyinglaterally of and between the openings being folded upon themselves andbeing thrust into the groove but presenting a plain unfolded portionopposed to each notch throughout its entire area and extending above thegroove, and a screen-retaining strip bridging said notches and forming abacking for said plain portion of the screen and having its top surfacerelated to the respective conical surfaces as chords to complete anddefine exit openings.

14. A fly escape structure comprising, a screened frame having outwardlyflared conical-surfaced fly escape notches in one of the rails, eachconical surface intersecting the outer and lower sides of the rail anddefining with the screen a fly escape passage over the top of thescreen, grooves in the outer face of the rail intersecting the conicalsides of the notches, those portions of the screen which lie laterallyof and between the openings being folded upon themselves and beingthrust into the groove but presenting a plain unfolded portion opposedto each notch throughout its entire area and extending above the groove,and a screen-retaining strip bridging said notches and forming a backingfor said plain portion of the screen at the opening and having its topsurfacerelated to the conical surfaces as chords to complete and defineexit openings, the outer surface of the strip being substantially flushwith the outer surface of the frame.

15. A fly escape structure comprising, a frame having, in the outer sideof one of its rails which is disposed horizontally when in use, anupwardly outwardly leading fly escape passage providing an upwardlylaterally arched curved surface, the opposite ends of which intersectthe bottom of the rail, the surface thereby being disposed so as to bevisible to an insect crawling upwardly on the inside of part of theframe, said surface intersecting the outer surface of the rail and beingangularly disposed so as to be impinged by light from an outside sourceand to reflect the light downwardly at the inner side of the frame, theshape of the passage at its intersection with the outer surface of theframe being that of an upwardly arched segment of a circle intersectinga horizontal chord.

EDWARD C. KLAIBER.

